In 2010, I created a set of goals. It was an aggressive list of over 27 goals broken into 9 categories. I’ve been working on those goals ever since. They weren’t exactly new year’s resolutions because I knew that was too much to expect but I think the categories might be a helpful way of determining where you need to improve most.

For each category above, I create a list of things I thought were critical and that I either aspired to do, or to continue to do. So, for example, under knowing God my list looked like this:

I choose the goal ‘Knowing God’ to show here because it is probably the most generic and many of these goals probably could apply to you as well. My goals under the other categories are very specific to my walk and may not apply.

I know, and science proves, that the highest achievers all have one thing in common… you guessed it, they set goals. So, I’m reviewing my goals before I start the year so I can make sure I focus my attention. I’m far from where I want to be and likely even farther from where God wants me to be.

Experts estimates that at any given time there are between 1 to 2.5 million people who are homeless in America.

Years ago, I traveled quite frequently and on this cold winter night in 1985, happened to be in downtown Chicago. I was staying in a hotel downtown and wanted to take a short walk before retiring for the evening. I stepped outside and saw a gentleman slowly walking toward me. He was a haggard soul, wearing a hat, walking with a cane and humming a gospel song that I recognized from my days as a young man at camp meeting in Texas. As he approached, I asked him how he was and he said “Blessed, I am blessed”. I asked him his name and he replied in the most curious way—he said to me, “I have no name, I have no face, I am but an ordinary man, but God put me here to spread love and cheer and I am doing the very best that I can. If we would but give our hand to our fellow man this world would be a much better place.” He then tipped his hat, pushed off with his cane and walked away with a smile on his face, humming that same song. I stood there for a minute, trying to take in and absorb what this 70+ year-old man had just told me when I decided to catch up to him and give a few dollars to help him along his way. I rumbled in my pocket and pulled out six or seven single bills and handed them to him, and he said to me, “the Lord thanks you”. Again he tipped me his hat, put down his cane and walked off still smiling and humming that song.

I watched him as he walked along that frozen sidewalk on that cold, blistery winter night—stopping every time he saw another distressed individual on the street, and he would share with them some of the money I had just given him. As I walked back up to the hotel, I asked the doorman who had witnessed my encounter, “do you know him?”—the doorman replied, “I know who he is, but don’t know his real name, we all call him Holy-Roller Sam”. He said none know much about him, where he came from, or how he got here, but he walks around always smiling, humming that same song, saying the same thing to everyone he meets. “ I have no name, I have no face, I am but an ordinary man, but God put me here to spread love and cheer and I am doing the very best that I can. If we would but give our hand to our fellow man this world would be much a better place.” The doorman went on to tell me that Holy-Roller Sam regularly shares with all the homeless who are most desperately in need of the funds people give him on the streets. I went to bed that night, and could not get Holy-Roller Sam off of my mind.

The words he said to me kept echoing through my brain over and over—“I have no name, I have no face, I am but an ordinary man, but God put me here to spread love and cheer and I am doing the very best that I can.” In this one instant, all that I thought I was and all that I thought I could be seemed to dim in comparison to who I knew he was in God’s eyes. I wanted to know more about him, and so I decided to venture out that next night to see if I could find him, and talk to him. For about an hour or so, I walked up and down the block hoping to see him—but no Holy-Roller Sam.

I saw the doorman and walked over to ask him if he had seen Holy-Roller Sam—it was then that the doorman told me that Sam had been struck by a driver and killed earlier in the day. I stood there stunned for a moment, and I slowly walked back to my room—amazed by the tears that had welled up in my eyes. To this day, I ask myself, if only I had shared with him more than a few bucks from the thousands I had in my wallet—if only I had of gotten him a room for a night or two . . . perhaps I could have changed the course of his demise.

Since my chance encounter with Holy-Roller Sam, I see the homeless in a different light—and I always will. We are a society overly obsessed with our looks, and I am just as guilty—or more than many—always wanting to look my best. I used to be more so, always making sure that I looked absolutely perfect. I paid special attention to my face, ensuring it was perfectly pampered . . . all until that fateful day when I met a man who said that he had no face—no face, no identity, no pretense, no vanity, no airs—only an ordinary man giving his hand to his fellow man from the crumbs he collected from strangers. As I look in the mirror each day I see the wrinkles that have formed on my face over the years, and I remember the man—Holy-Roller Sam—who told me he had no face, and my concern turns to a smile, letting me know I’m okay with a few wrinkles.

That chance encounter with Holy-Roller Sam on that cold Chicago winter night forever affected my life for the better. Holy-Roller Sam was homeless until he moved in with Jesus.

Last month, a number of us saw the movie Fireproof. (http://thelovedarebook.com/fireproof-movie.html) Some of us picked up the book and committed to taking the dare. Frankly, I’ve found it hard to find time even though it take only a few minutes. I’m not sure why, but in speaking to a few other people I’ve found that I’m not alone.

When I have taken the challenge and responded to the leadings in the book, Carolyn has noticed and has appreciated my efforts. Therefore I’m going to try harder because I feel that much like praying, the devil maybe trying to keep me from something that will strengthen my marriage and my faith.

I encourage you too, to pick up the book if you haven’t. I’m sure we would all admit that no matter how long we’ve been married, our marriage is not perfect. The question is, are you comfortable with that? Or are you willing to push yourself to be a better husband?

We are looking for a few people to share their experiences, either anonymously or preferrable not. Please e-mail me at NYMensMinistry@yahoo.com. Hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend!

We are all impacted by our parents. Their actions, their example and their love.

Since they are imperfect (like us), we are wounded.

These wounds leave us unsure about ourselves and afraid that we will be exposed as less then what we appear to be.

They are a lie, that says we are unworthy or not valuable.

Like any lie or half truth, it can cause us to respond incorrectly.

Even Jesus needed to hear words of affirmation from his father.

You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased – Luke 3:22

God’s Response
Galatians 4:4-7
“But when the fullness of time had come. God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (ESV)

Joshua 1:9
“…Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you where you go.”

Psalm 139:7-10
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

Proverbs 3:11-12
”My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in” (NIV)

Hebrews 12:7
“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?”